the ball is now in the president's court. kate's condition. a difficult start to britain's most-awaited pregnancy in decades. we're live in london. and later in "the pulse," it's a bride's dream come true. and now, it can happen. getting hitched at denny's. and good morning, everybody. we do begin with that breaking news, what could be a pretty serious escalation in tensions between the u.s. and iran. >> it centers, this morning, a report, that the iranians have captured an unmanned american drone. for the very latest, we're joined from london by abc's nick schifrin. good morning, nick. >> reporter: good morning, rob. good morning, paula. we have no comment on this from the u.s. but the iranians claim they brought down what's known as a scan eagle drone, after it violated iranian air space.

it's right now in an iranian studio. it's a small surveillance drone. u.s. navy captains used them to watch their own ships. this is not an armed drone. if the iranians brought it down, the u.s. will see that as a very aggressive action. last month, the iranians tried to shoot down a u.s. drone in the same place. almost exactly a year ago, the iranians brought down a high-tech drone, one used by the cia. that was inside iranian territory. as you said, this will raise tensions in a very sensitive area. u.s. has thousands of service members in the gulf, just a few miles from iran. and the u.s. continues to accuse iran of trying to develop a nuclear weapon. ron? paula? >> nick schifrin with the latest from london. thank you, nick. we'll see you in just a moment. also from london, kate middleton, the duchess of cambridge, is hospitalized there, for a second day. doctors are keeping a close eye on the 30-year-old future queen of england, whose pregnancy was announced just yesterday. >> now, kate is suffering from a rare and severe form of morning sickness.

the palace says she is expected to stay in the hospital for several days and will need a period of rest when she's released. we'll have more from london on the royal baby news a little later. also this morning, the situation in syria is growing increasingly dangerous. new intelligence reports show that syria's government may be preparing chemical and biological weapons for use against the rebels in that country. senior officials tell abc news there are contingency plans for military action by the u.s., if those weapons become a threat. and back here at home, president obama meets with the nation's governors today on urgent talks to avoid that fiscal cliff. republicans and democrats in congress appeared no closer to a compromise. here's abc's tahman bradley. >> reporter: congressional republicans' counterproposal was dead on arrival. the white house quickly rejected the $2.2 trillion deficit reduction plan, that would raise $800 billion in tax revenue over the next decade. but the plan calls for raising the revenue without raising tax

rates on top income earners, something the white house views as unacceptable. during a photo op, the president avoided questions about the gop plan. >> no deal better than a bad deal, sir? >> reporter: a senior white house official called the proposal a step backwards. saying if republicans do not agree to some higher tax rates for the wealthy, the nation will go over the fiscal cliff, and the american people will hold them responsible. democrats also take issue with the proposal's spending cuts to medicare and social security. republican counter that tough cuts are needed to tackle the soaring debt, leaving washington locked in a stalemate, less than a month before every american sees their taxes shoot up. the gridlock has irritated people outside washington, like deborah page of arlington, texas. >> if i was working the way the president and congress was working, i would probably lose my job. >> reporter: page started a petition that would cease paychecks and health benefits

for all members of congress and president obama if they can't avoid the fiscal cliff. the petition's chances are slim. but it's a reflection of americans' frustration with 28 days left. rob and paula? >> tahman bradley live in washington today. thank you, tahman. and as talks over the fiscal cliff drag on, a new poll finds that most americans do not think very highly of congress. one in ten americans rate the honesty and ethical standards of its members as very high or high. this puts the law making body, second-lowest on the list of 22 professions. higher only than car sales people. >> how telling is that? >> that's an indictment. and another nasty storm is drenching the west coast, from northern california, into portland and seattle. this is the fourth big rainmaker to hit that area in a week. and this time, it could dump up to five inches of rain and cause even more flooding and destruction. abc's brandi hitt has the latest. >> reporter: after several days

of drenching rain, downed trees, flooding and rockslides, families throughout the west are finally getting a break in the severe weather to clean up. three storms have slammed through the region in less than a week, dumping up to a foot of rain in some areas. washing out entire roads. and even creating this 20-foot sinkhole in lafayette, california. the other big danger, large trees continue to fall from the saturated ground. this one nearly crushed a man. how close did it come to you? >> within feet of my trucks. >> reporter: slick roads have led to several major crashes. >> there's been a couple of big accidents. >> reporter: this big rig jackknifed, shutting down a major l.a. intersection monday. and the soaking isn't over yet. >> in that momentary dry patch. you'll get the mist and some showers going on. and late into tomorrow, you get another wave of rain. >> reporter: that's why utility crews are trying to clean up as much debris as they can, before the next storm strikes. there is a bit of good news.

once the storm passes through, the west coast will get a break from the rain for several days. rob and paula? and believe it or not, winter is just three weeks away. but you wouldn't know it in the midwest, where dozens of record highs have being shattered. >> sweet home chicago hit 70 degrees yesterday. only the third time that has happened in the month of december. and temperatures also soared into record territory in des moines, st. louis and indianapolis. >> a mild start to december. not bad. we don't get to say that too often. time, now, for a look at weather from across the country. showers and thunderstorms from cleveland to nashville, new orleans and houston. moving east, later on, to atlanta, pittsburgh, and other areas. that western storm we mentioned earlier, also dumps up to a foot of snow in the cascades, sierra nevada and northern rockies. >> 50s from seattle to billings and much of the midwest. just 24 in fargo. 38 in the twin cities. and 70s across the south. and when we come back this morning, something to make tax time even worse.

a new warning about the irs and identity theft. and then, it is back to work for mitt romney. and he's returning to a familiar gig. and well, if you got 55 cents, you can score one of america's favorite fast food sandwiches. but you better act quick. [ female announcer ] now get high speed internet at home

on our newly expanded advanced digital network, a connection you can count on. introducing at&t u-verse high speed internet with more speed options, reliability and wi-fi hot spots than ever. go to our website below to get u-verse high speed internet for just 14.95 a month for 12 months with a one-year price guarantee. it's all the speed you need all at a great price. our newly expanded advanced digital network gives you more of what you enjoy online. and with at&t, our wireless gateway turns your home into a private wi-fi hot spot that connects your wi-fi devices and can even save on your smart phone data usage at home. go to our website below to get at&t u-verse high speed internet for just 14.95 a month for 12 months with a one-year price guarantee. that includes access on-the-go to our entire national wi-fi hot spot network, with over 30,000 hot spots. at&t u-verse high speed internet. now on our newly expanded advanced digital network,

a connection your whole house can count on. ♪ welcome back, everyone. bank of america says the controversial, new fees it wanted to charge, well, they're going to be delayed for at least another year. it had planned to charge customers a new fee or keeping low balances or not using certain services. but after a lot of public outcry, the bank says it will look for other ways to make

money off those customers. and a government report says tax fraud involving identity theft soared this past year, up 62%. fraudsters are stealing people's identity and filing a return before the victims do. the crooks, they usually get away with it, even after the victim complains and gets a refund. the irs is promising to crack down. there's another recall this morning at trader joe's. this affects more than 4,000 pounds of its butter chicken and basmati rice frozen dinner. the product may be contaminated with listeria. it was sold in 14 eastern states and washington, d.c., as well. customers can return the boxes with the codes, you see there on your screen. 30512. that's the code. and you return it to get a refund. also this morning, mitt romney, has a new job. the former republican presidential candidate is rejoining the board of directors of marriott, the hotel chain. he's been on the board twice before, in fact, leaving each

time to run for office. and later this week, you'll be able to buy a whopper sandwich for about half a buck. burger king is celebrating the 55th anniversary of its signature sandwich. thursday through sunday, you can get a second whopper at 55 cents. you have to buy the first one at full price. if you buy three, can you get the second and third for 55 cents apiece? >> let me know. >> i will get to the bottom of that. >> keep us all updated. a new biography of steve jobs will debut at next month ice sundance film festival. and ashton kutcher plays the apple co-founder from his teens to his 40s. it's the first of several of bio pics about jobs under production. you can see for yourself how closely kutcher resembles jobs. not too bad at all. did a good job with that. and when we come back, london calling, again. we're going to go back across the pond for a live report on kate's royal baby news.

and then, first lady. secretary of state. or perhaps, mayor? does new york's michael bloomberg want hillary clinton to take his job? . [ chuckles ] the family thinks i'm out shipping these. smooth move. you used priority mail flat-rate boxes. if it fits, it ships for a low, flat rate. paid for postage online and arranged a free pickup. and i'm gonna track them online, too. nice. between those boxes and this place, i'm totally staying sane this year. do i smell snickerdoodles? maybe. [ timer dings ] gotta go. [ male announcer ] priority mail flat rate boxes. online pricing starts at $5.15. only from the postal service. johan comes in a porcelain vessel, crafted with care by a talented blonde from sweden. ♪ smooth, rich, never bitter, gevalia.

yeah we both relieve coughs, sneezing, aches, fevers. and i relieve nasal congestion. overachiever. [ female announcer ] tylenol® cold multi-symptom nighttime relieves nasal congestion. nyquil® cold and flu doesn't.

relieves nasal congestion. you can't argue with nutrition you can see. great grains. great grains cereal starts whole and stays whole. see the seam? more processed flakes look nothing like natural grains. i'm eating what i know is better nutrition. mmmm. great grains. search great grains and see for yourself. this is security video from the suburb of sydney, australia, this morning. watch these two little girls. they were waiting for their mother when a section of roof collapsed on them. one girl seemed to pull the other out of the way at the very last second. we're told that both are fine, despite that collapsing roof. a very close call from down under. >> well done, little girl. now, take a look at the morning's road conditions on this tuesday. rain drenches highways from northern california into portland and seattle. also, mountain passes in the cascades, northern rockies and the sierra nevada will be snow-covered. also, expect a wet commute from the ohio valley down to the

fwkt. >> if you're flying, weather-related airport delays are likely in seattle, new orleans and memphis. and we're going back to london, now, for the latest on the big royal baby news. >> abc's nick schifrin joins us again. it's all-eyes on the duchess of cambridge. >> reporter: all eyes. and what a beautiful, exciting morning it is here. kate's had her belly stared at. her every action scrutinized at the wedding. and all those guessing she was pregnant for months, is finally right. it's been more than a year and a half since the royal couple exchanged their vows and a few kisses. and the honeymoon was barely over before the baby guessing games began. prince william himself fueled the speculation. telling abc's katie couric last may -- >> i'm just excited to have a family. katherine and i are looking forward to having a family in the future. >> reporter: now that the pregnancy is confirmed, the celebrating has begun.

>> it's great news. and i'm delighted for them. they'll make brilliant parents. >> reporter: president obama and the first lady echoed that, saying it's welcome news. not welcome, though, kate's early pregnancy health problems. they've landed her in the hospital with william at her side. she's being treated for a rare and extreme form of morning sickness. >> this is potentially very serious for a pregnant woman at this stage of pregnancy, however. most of the risks lie with the mother. >> reporter: it's called hyperemesis gravidarum. >> it's more common in people carrying twins. >> reporter: that's right. her sickness might mean two royal babies on the way. of course, more than one has probably always been in the plans. >> the duty of the wife and future queen, is to provide an heir. and maybe a spare. >> reporter: the royal couple revealed early because they feared news of her pregnancy would leak out once she arrived

in the hospital, which might have led to a new interesting conversations yesterday. because reportedly the queen herself found out just yesterday. and prince harry reportedly found out via e-mail. >> i'm going to go on a limb and guess that the tabloids may be covering this in britain. what are the papers saying today? >> reporter: it's very good bet they are. there's only a 7.5% chance kate has twins. but "the telegraph" is running with it. "the daily mail" takes a more sobering look at a nation's joy. a husband's nerves. that's prince william leaving the hospital last night. and my personal favorite, and it speaks for itself, "the sun," kate expectations. >> well played. doing double-duty for us. nick schifrin live in london. thanks a lot, nick. and someone who might be joining nick in london, the editor in chief of "vogue" magazine. she is being considered by president obama to be the next

u.s. ambassador to britain or france. it could be a reward for her. she raised $500,000 for the president's re-election campaign. as hillary clinton prepares to step down as secretary of state, she is getting apparently career advice from new york city's mayor, michael bloomberg. he reportedly called mrs. clinton to encourage her to run for the race of mayor next year. clinton reportedly showed no interest. >> shocking. well, a search is under way here in new york for a man accused of pushing another man to his death in the subway. witnesses say the 58-year-old victim was shoved from the platform into the path of an oncoming train. he tried to climb out. but it was just too late. moments earlier, surveillance cameras captured the suspect arguing with the victim. several subway riders who witnessed the death had to be treated for trauma. doctors say flu season is already under way, arriving weeks ahead of schedule.

this is the earliest season in a decade. and the strain could be particularly severe, especially in children and the elderly. five states, from texas to tennessee, already are reporting widespread cases. a reminder to get your flu shot and get it earlier than last year. >> get that needle. look away. >> i have to dig my nails into my arm so i don't feel the prick. been doing it since i was a kid. "monday night football" it's now a four-game season for the nfc east division title. rg-3, and the redskins, last night, hosted the new york football giants. >> that's right. in the first quarter, a wild play. griffin running downfield. he fumbles. and his fumble goes to josh morgan who takes it in for a t.d. and then, in the fourth, with the skins down by six, griffin finds pierre garcon in the red zone. redskins pull this one out. they beat the giants. a close one.

17-16. the nfc east, a lot tighter this morning. woo. >> just when i thought the giants, same thing about the bears, too. >> that's true. up next, "the pulse." and the oscar buzz is getting louder. the early honors that could predict the magic at the academy awards. and a grand slam breakfast just ain't enough. so, how about getting hitched? yep, at dennys. means living with pain. it could also mean living with joint damage. help relieve the pain and stop the damage with humira, adalimumab. for many adults with moderate to severe ra, humira is clinically proven to help relieve pain and stop joint damage. so you can treat more than just the pain. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred.

before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist about humira, to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage before they stop you. and now -- i got a great new way to get deals. it's called bankamerideals, from bank of america. i choose the cash back deals in my mobile or online banking. i just use my bank of america debit or credit card when i pay. and i get as much as 15% cash back -- put into my account. this is cash back on top of other rewards i already get. best of all -- it's free. happy holidays. [ male announcer ] introducing bankamerideals, free for online banking customers. sign in to your online banking to choose your deals today.

time to check "the pulse," this morning, the stories you'll be talking about today. of course, oscar buzz, almost time for that again. it's growing right now for two films that just got a big seal of approval. >> listen to the silent film, the male stripper flick, "magic

mike"? it's back in the spotlight after matthew mcconaughey's role got him an award for best supporting actor by the new york film critics. haven't seen it. >> and the group gave top honors to kathryn bigelow's latest film "zero dark thirty." getting rave reviews. the movie about the hunt for osama bin laden was named best film of the year. and if you have a cat, you know they can end up in the most unusual places, right? look at this feline, in one of those machines where you use the claw to scoop up a toy. this one in russia. >> no word on how that kitty claimed her cozy spot there. she seemed content even when the claw nearly grabs her. i have never successfully gotten anything out of those machines. i never can maneuver it right to do it. >> it's operator error. >> i'm sure, probably. and it's the big, new destination for a las vegas wedding. it's the new 24-hour denny's,

right there in downtown sin city. >> now, in addition to the wedding chapel inside, there's also a full-service bar, of course, for those who want to get hitched right there at denny's. they're offering a variety of marital packages, includes a cake made of bacon and a marriage. and moons over my hammy. a grand slam of a marriage. >> you can do it all there at denny's. i love it. for some of you, now, your local news, coming up next. >> for everyone else, we'll be back in a moment with a look at the royal babies through the years. on ♪ ♪ every little thing is possible now ♪ [ female announcer ] we've added a touch of philadelphia cream cheese to our kraft natural cheese to make it creamier so whatever you make isn't just good, it's amazing. ♪ ...is amazing with the love that i found ♪ ♪ ♪ ...is amazing with the love that i found ♪ introducing nook hd -

the world's best 7" tablet made for reading and entertainment. your favorite magazines and catalogs look better than ever. and with scrapbooking, you can save the things you love, bring them all together, and be inspired like never before. scrapbooking. create yours with nook hd - and even bigger with hd+. find yours at barnes & noble.

up high! ok. don't you have any usefull apps on that thing? who do you think i am, quicken loans? ♪ at quicken loans, our amazingly useful mortgage calculator app allows you to quickly calculate your mortgage payment based on today's incredibly low interest rates... right from your iphone or android smartphone. one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. ♪ next, crews are working to restore muni metro service after a blown transformer knocked out service last night.

city supervisors will face the fay dead truth today. protesters expected -- expected to strip on the final vote on a ban on nudity in san francisco. we'll look at live doppler 7 hd and show you where the rain is for your>> 31 bucks a w. looking at today's weather. a mild day in the northeast. showers and thunderstorms from cleveland down to new orleans and houston. up to a foot of snow in the northwest. and finally, it's been less than 24 hours since kate middleton's pregnancy was announced. and it's already set off a stampede of speculation. >> of course. the royal family has centuries of tradition to follow here. but as abc's nick watt reports, this 21st century mother-to-be, is likely to put her own spin on a very modern family. >> reporter: kate's already broken one rule. royal brides are supposed to be pregnant within a year of the wedding. the role of a princess mum is not easy. diana tried to tear up the rule book. william, the first heir to the throne ever born in a hospital, not a palace. diana, the first royal mum to

dare complain of morning sickness. and also, to fall asleep in public when her pregnancy was still a secret. traditionally, royals didn't see much of her kids. but not diana. >> she wanted to be as present for her children as she possibly could. >> reporter: there were some royal rules that diana could not shake. the birth was induced not to disrupt the polo schedule. and the queen, not her own mum, was her first visitor. and the name, traditional, of course. bookies' favorites for kate and williams' first born are george and anne. time has gone to the arcane and the barbaric. it was nearly 500 years ago, that henry viii executed a wife that was unable to create a royal air. >> the duty of the wife of the future king is to provide an heir. and hopefully, a spare. >> reporter: now, it's time for the next generation.

nick watt, abc news, los angeles. >> and make sure you stay with abc for "good morning america" and the very latest royal baby news. >> that's right. lara spencer is in london. and there will be complete coverage coming up today on "gma," starting at 7:00 eastern. for now, that's what's making news in america this morning. >> thank you so much for joining us. and have a terrific tuesday, everyone. captioned by closed captioning services, inc. good morning. thanks for joining us i'm kristen sze. i'm eric thomas. right now repair crews are working hard to restore muni service in time for the commute following an equipment problem. for riders on somei